Waymo has suspended its robotaxi services in five US cities after incidents where vehicles drove into flooded roads and got stuck. The decision follows a software issue that caused an empty Waymo vehicle to enter a creek in San Antonio, Texas, on April 20th. Similar problems occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, prompting the company to temporarily halt its robotaxis in four Texas cities and Atlanta.

Waymo has also suspended services on US freeways while working on software improvements for better performance in construction zones. The firm maintains that safety is top priority and expects to resume services soon, pending improved weather monitoring systems.

In a related move, Waymo has issued a voluntary recall of nearly 3,800 robotaxis equipped with its fifth and sixth-generation automated driving systems, citing software issues that could lead vehicles to drive into standing water on higher-speed roadways. The company is currently working on additional safeguards to prevent such incidents.

Waymo's decision comes as concerns over the safety of self-driving cars continue to grow. In December 2025, a large power outage in San Francisco led to significant disruptions for Waymo taxis. Meanwhile, a mass robotaxi outage in Wuhan, China, caused by Apollo Go resulted in at least one hundred vehicles stopping mid-traffic.

The company, which plans to launch services in London later this year, remains optimistic about the future of autonomous transportation but acknowledges the need for ongoing improvements and safety measures.